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The Economic Value of Community Health: A CHAD Impact Analysis of the Dakotas

Ian Kelly - August 21, 2024
The Economic Value of Community Health: A CHAD Impact Analysis of the Dakotas

The Community HealthCare Association of the Dakotas (CHAD)

In North and South Dakota, many citizens have been concerned about the status of healthcare and their ability to get it. CHAD was developed as a non-profit primary care organization to help support the interests of all patients, particularly underserved (such as low income or rural) populations. CHAD has built a network of community health centers (CHCs) in North and South Dakota to better advocate for and serve these underrepresented communities. To help serve its target communities, CHAD has engaged in political activism in Pierre and Bismarck. 

Overview

On behalf of CHAD, the Dakota Institute performed an analysis to examine the economic impacts of eight member institutions within their state, local, and peripheral communities. The analysis in this report was developed using IMPLAN software and data furnished by CHAD.

Takeaways

The Dakota Institute estimates that CHAD’s CHCs supported an estimated 616 jobs in North Dakota and 1,482 jobs in South Dakota. This labor force received roughly $53 million in labor income impact in North Dakota and $119 million in South Dakota. All told, these CHCs contributed over $170 million in labor income and 2,000 jobs to the Dakotas.

Value-added impacts are the difference between the value of the output as compared to the value of intermediate inputs. The eight CHCs comprising the Dakota Institute’s study went on to provide $203 million worth of value-added impact to the region. In terms of the top-line total economic impact, CHCs brought $104 million to North Dakota and $236 million to South Dakota. The map above shows how the four CHAD hospital systems in North Dakota have contributed to their respective regions, notably in the northwestern quarter of the state. These economic activities have yielded an estimated $6 million in state/local taxes and $27 million in federal taxes.

Across the board, the CHAD network has contributed substantially to the outlook of the Dakotas. The economic impacts report developed by the Dakota Institute expands upon these benefits and shows why CHAD has been a great asset to these states.